A fully admitted, currently enrolled Texas A&M undergraduate student who is "first time in college"* as
defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may elect to exclude from his/her undergraduate degree and
cumulative GPA calculation grades of D, F, or U. This exclusion shall be permitted for up to a maximum of three courses
taken for credit at Texas A&M University during the twelve month period beginning with the student's initial
enrollment at Texas A&M. Currently enrolled is defined as a student who is registered for one or more semester credits
and has made financial arrangements for required tuition and fees for the semester or term in progress. Current
enrollment is certified after the state designated census day.
*First time in college: an undergraduate student who applied and enrolled for the first time at TAMU, regardless
of whether the student has acquired college level credit through testing, advanced placement or summer enrollment.
- All courses chosen for first year grade exclusion shall remain on the official transcript and be designated on the
transcript as excluded.
- First year grade exclusion cannot be invoked after a baccalaureate degree has been conferred upon the student.
- First Year Grade Exclusion requests for degree candidates must be received in the Office of the Registrar not later
than the day midterm grades are due when the student is graduating in a fall or spring semester; not later than Friday of
the 3rd week of class for the second summer session when the student is graduating in August.
- First year grade exclusion will affect student classification if excluding a course lowers total completed
hours below 90, 60, or 30 hours.
- Grades for courses in which the student was found to have committed academic dishonesty will not be excluded
from the GPA calculation, regardless whether or not the student completed remediation.
- A course for which the grade has been excluded will not be used to satisfy degree requirements unless it is
repeated by the student for an acceptable grade.
- Once a grade in a course has been excluded from the GPA calculation, the student will not later be permitted
to have the exclusion removed or otherwise changed.
- Courses for which grades have been excluded will be counted as attempted hours when determining eligibility for
tuition rebates, calculating excess credit hours, and determining third-time repeats.
- Courses for which grades have been excluded will not be taken into account when determining eligibility for a change
of major, scholarships, or achievement based awards. However, non-university scholarship committees may recalculate the
GPA to include such grades.
- Courses excluded under this policy are NOT excluded when determining whether a student is meeting satisfactory
academic progress requirements (hours completed) for federal and state financial aid programs.
- While excluded courses will not be factored into the Texas A&M University GPA, students should be aware that
employers, professional schools (including professional schools that are a part of Texas A&M University),
undergraduate schools to which A&M studets may seek to transfer, and graduate schools may recalculate the GPA to
include such grades.
- University rules regarding Q drops remain unaffected, but students should consult with their undergraduate associate
dean or his/her designee.
- Students are directed to contact their academic advisor to obtain the necessary form.